Spirit level



March 17. 1925. 1,529,709

W. F. NEUMANN SPIRIT LEVEL,

Filed July 2, 1923 I v gave-"I01: William T Neum arm.

Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

WILLIAM F. NEUTMANN, OF SAGINAW, MICHIGANJ srrnrcr LEVEL.

Application filed July 2,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. NEU- MANN, a citizen'of the United States, residing at Saginaw, in the county of Saginaw and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spirit Levels, of which the following is a specification. 1 1

This invention relates to spirit levels and the primary objects of the invention are first,-to provide a knock down level which can be easily disassembled so as to utilize a minimum amount of space in a tool kit or other suitable carrier, making it convenient to carry; and, to provide a level made of a plurality of sections, and novel means for securing and holding these sections in accurate alignment, thus providing a knock down levelpossessing all of the qualities of a one piece level, without impairing the ef-v ficiency 0r weakening thestructure thereof.

It is now common practice for all bricklayers and masons to use a spirit level for determining the trueness of horizontal or vertical surfaces. Such levels are ordinarily constructed of a length which makes it practically impossible to convey them from one place to another without great inconvenience, and as a result they are often abandoned or sold for a fraction of their original cost when 'ready to move from one job to another. It is therefore an object of this invention to overcome these disad vantages by providing a level of's'imple construction-which is capable of being disassembled for transportation and which may be accurately put together when the 'same is'to be used. A further object of this invention is to provide a spirit level which will have a high degree of strength and durability, one which will be practical and efficient in'use, and one which may be supplied to the trade at a relatively'low cost. v

Further objects and advantages will ap-. pear in the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spirit level constructed according to my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the end portion of two of the sections in abutting relation, partly in section,

1923. Serial No. 649,144.

showing the studs or pins whichv prevent lateral movement of'the sections.

F1gure3 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 Figure 4 is a detail perspective View of one of the clamp members, and.

- Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of two of the end members of the sections.

- In the drawing, where similar characters designate corresponding parts throughout. the several views, thejletter A designates'a spirit level constructed in accordance with my invention having a central section B and the end sections C and D;fE clamp receiving members carriedby the adjacent end portions of the sections B, C, and D:

and F a clamp adapted to hold companion plamp receiving members E in abutting reation.

The central section B may carry the horizontal leveling tube 6, such as is carried by the ordinary level and the end sections C and D mayhave positioned therein the vertical indic'ating tubes 7 and 8"respectively;

vIn the preferred embodiment of my inven tion, the adjacent endportions 9 are each reduced in size and adapted to be inserted into a recess'lO formed in the main body portion 12 of the clamp receiving member E. It is to' be understood, however, that these clamp receiving members E may be made or cast integral, with the adjacent end portions of'thesections, when such sections are of metalfl These clamp receiving members E each preferably includes a T-shaped extension 11 in addition to the mainbody portion 12. Each T-shaped extension 11 includes the stem 13 and ahead lfwhichis preferably provided with flanges 15 formed on its ends- It can readily be seen referring to the drawing, that the stem 13, head 14, and fianges15 define transversely extending'L-shaped recesses 16. The'upper face 17 of the head 14 forms the abutting end of the T-shaped extension andis adapted to be held in abutting relation to its con 1 panion T-shaped extension, said abutting end carrying detachable interfitting connections to prevent lateral movement of the sections. In the drawing these detachable 'interfitting connections are shown as a pair of dowel pins 18, which may be carried by one of the abutting'ends l7 and fit into recesses formed in the other abutting. end,

thus precluding the possibility of lateral or transverse movement of one section with respect to the other.

One of the faces, designated 19,:of the T-shaped extension 11, terminates ina' plane short of a face 20 of the main body portion 12, so that When the clamp member ,F ,is positioned on the clamp receiving members IE, it is adapted to seat on these gfitGQS l9io f the companion T-shaped extensions and have its outer face ;in substantially the sameiplane as the faces of the-clamp receivingmembers, thus having no :Sharp projecting edges and forming a cqntinuation of the side Wall of the level A.

Referring to the clamp anember F, it

preferably is of; o hapedformation, consisting ofga pair of spaced arms 21 andsu-itably connected at one end ,as at'22r Projecting from the confronting faces {Qflihfi arms 21 are transversely, (extending {L-.

shap d flanges 7-23, w ich are adapted to intterlock in the transversely extending .L-' shaped recesses of companion shaped extensions, and when so positioned *Will'prevent longitudinalmovement of tone section with respect ,to another. To prevent the clamp F from accidental transverse move-' ment When positioned on the clamp receiving members E, a screw '24 :is threaded thru the ,connecting member :22 and into the two abutting ends 17 at an intermediate lpoint. llhus it be seen :that {by providing' a clamp and ,clamp receiving members of the above mentioned character, a novel means has been provlded whereby ayspirit level I may be formed of a lplurazlityfiof sections,

easily and accurately put together, and held in longitudlnazl a lignmen-taln such a manner "as :to precludeyaccidental movement of the sections one with respect to another, in any direction.

Changes in (details may be made Without departmg from {the spirit tofthe invention or the scope-of the claimsg'but,

I claim: 1 1. A spir t levelconiprl-slng a phiraiity ofseparablesections, clamp receiving ameni- 1 here carried by the adjacent end pontionsof said sections, and having ipookets Readingfrom their end faces and registering when the clampreceiving membersare in end no end contact, means fitting into'the to apnevent lateral movement of one section with. respect to anothenand aclamp asso ciated-Withsaid clamp receiving members for securing said sect-ionsend. to end in longitudinal alignment.

' 2. A spirit level eomprising a plurality oflsepara'ble sections, clamp receiving inemk berscarrijed by the adjacent end portions of the sections, detachable interiitting connee tionsat ,theabutting ends of said clamp reeei'ving members to" prevent lateral move ment of tone section With respect to another,.

and a clamp associated With said clamp receiving -.members for securing. said sections end to endiin longitudinalalignment. Y

3. A spirit level comprising a plurality of separable sections, comp-anion T-shaped extensions carried by the adjacent end portions-of said sections, each extension including a main body portion, a stem formed on said main body portion, and ahead carried by said stem having inwardly projecting flanges at its outer end, defining transverse'ly extending L,shaped recesses; a ;..U-

shapedclamp adaptedstosholdssaid il'sshaped extensions in abutting -relation, said clamp including a pair of i spaced arms, a :con-necshank and across head having arms at its ends, and a iU-shaped clamp having aside arms provided with rim-shaped flangesalong their side edges for sliding into the recesses, of .the clanrpreceiving. members Ibeneath the :arms at "the ends of :the cross :heads thereof vand serving :to hold said icliamp receiving members in f abutting V :relationi 5. A spirit level comprising a plurality of separable sections, companion T -shaped extensions carried by the adjacent end :p'on

ti'ons of said: section, each: extension including amain body portion, a stern formed .on

4E. A spirit ilievelcolnpnising .a plurality saidinaiinlbody portion, and a head carried by said stem defining transversely extendrecesses, a' Urshaped el-amp adapted to: hold said T-shaped extension in abutting relation, said clamp including :a pair of spaced arms, a connection .filiei ebetvveen,

flanges extending from the confronting faces of said arms for anterfitting Wltl'l said no I transversely extending recesses insaiidex tensions to prevent longitudinail movement thereof, a device carried bysaid'eiamp for preventing transverse" movement with respect to: said T-shapedextensions; I

'6. spirit levellcompris'ing plurality ofseparable sections, companion Teshaped extensions carried by the adjacent end por tions of said sections, each extension =11'leluding a main body portion adapted to'lie flush with said section, and a head carried by said stem defining transversely extend ing recesses, said stem and head having one face thereof terminating. in a plane: short of one face of t'heanain -ponbiondefining a cut out portion, a U-shaped clamp adapted to hold said T-shaped extensions in abutting relation, said clamps including a pair of spaced arms, a connection therebetween,

" said connection adapted to seat in the cut away portion and have its outer face lying flush with the main body portion of the T-shaped extension, flanges extending from the confronting faces of said arms for interfitting with said recesses in said exten- 10 sions to prevent longitudinal movement thereof, and a device carried by said clamp for preventing transverse movement with respect to both T-shaped extensions.

WM F. NEUMANN, 

